Electric control device



Sept. 8, 1931. HUNTER 1,822,700

ELECTRIC CONTROL DEVICE Filed July 7, 1930 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD J3. HUNTER, 0F SHOREWOOD, WISCONSIN,ASSIGNOR TO CUTLER-HAMMER, INC., 0]! MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATIOHOF DELAVARE ELECTRIC CONTROL DEVICE Application filed July 7, 1930.

This invention relates to electric control devices.

While not limited thereto the invention is particularly applicable tofloor selector 5 devices for push button controlled elevator systems.

The co-pending application of Edwin WV. Seeger, Serial No. 460,951,filed June 13, 1930, discloses a push button elevator system wherein afloor selector device selectively controls the direction of operation ofthe driving motor to effect travel of the elevator car to a preselectedlanding, also provides for slowdown of the driving metor during approachof the elevator car to a selected landing. The floor selector employedin this system includes a plurality of stationary contacts, certain ofwhich correspond to each of the landings, and a cooperating rotatabledrum which is driven at a speed proportional to that of the elevatorcar. The drum is provided with a pair of contact segments and duringapproach of the elevator car in its up direction to a selected landingone of said contacts is adapted to disengage the stationary contactcorresponding to such landing to effect slowdown of the driving motor,while the other of said contacts is adapted to act in a similar mannerduring operation of the elevator car in its down direction. The pointsat which the selector device is adapted to effect slowdown of theelevator car are determined by the angular positions at which the drumsegments'disengage the stationary contacts corresponding to the variouslandings, and in practice it is desirable to adjust such points to suitvarious operating conditions, as for example, the speed at which theelevator operates and the degree of braking during slowdown.

The present invention has among its objects to provide a floor selectorfor elevator systems of the aforesaid character having improved meansassociated therewith for varying the slowdown points with respect to thelandings to suit the operating conditions. 7

Another object is to provide a floor selector wherein the drum isadjustable to Serial No. 466,071.

vary the angular positions at which the segments thereof are adapted todisengage the stationary contacts corresponding to the various landings.

Another object is to provide a floor selector having improved drivingmeans associated therewith to prevent variation in the points ofslowdown due to backlash in the driving connections.

Various other objects and advantages of t e invention will hereinafterappear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the inventionwhich will now be described, it being understood that variousmodifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

in the drawings,

Figure l is a front view of a floor selector embodying the invention,the enclosing casing therefor being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the drum shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Fig. l, the same illustrates a floor selector including arotatable drum 1 which cooperates with a plurality of stationarycontacts 2 fixed to an insulating panel 3 arranged to one side of saiddrum and at right angles to the axis thereof. Drum l is adapted to bedriven at a speed proportional to that of the elevator car through themedium of driving connections which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and the same is provided with a pair of ring shaped segmentsl and 5 which are arranged in opposed relation and are adapted tocooperate with the stationary contacts 2. The number of stationarycontacts 2 is determined by the number of landings served by the floorselector, and said contacts are arranged so that when drum 2 is in aposition corresponding to a given landing the stationary contactcorresponding to such landing is located between the ends 6 and 7 ofsegments 4 and 5, respectively.

As shown in Fig. 3, the ends 6 and 7 of drum segments i and 5 divergewith respect to each other, and a triangular segment 8 is arrangedbetween the diverging ends of said segments in spaced relation withrespect thereto. The segments 4, 5 and 8 are mounted upon a supportingspider 10 provided with a hub 11 and circular rim l2, and said segmentsare spaced axially with respect to said spiderand are mounted uponinsulating bars 13 fixed to rim 12. 'Thehub 1:1 of spider 10 is:provided .with .a threaded opening for receiving a.screw.bushing 14,and said bushing is provided with a hexagonal head 15 to facilitateadjustment thereof within said hub and carries a lock nut 16 forengaging the hub "11 of spider 10. Bushing 1.4;is rotatablymounted upona shaft 17, and as hereinafter setforth said bushing isf'held againstaxial movement upon said shaft while the spider 10 is fixed againstrotation with respectto said shaft.

From the foregoing it is apparent that by releasing'lock nut .16 thescrew bushing 14 canbe turnedto adjust the aXial position. of spider 10to thereby vary the angular positions at which segments 4 and .5 areadapted to disengage the contacts 2 upon rotation of the drum inopposite directions. As isapparent from Fig. 3,. axialadjustment of drum1 towards .the right with respect to stationary contacts .2 advances thepoints at which segments 4 and 5 disengage the stationary contacts 2upon rotation of the drum in opposite directions, while. axialadjustment of the'drum to the left has an op positeeffect. Thustheaforedescribed control means may be used in elevator systems of thecharacter disclosed in the aforementioned corpending application ofEdwin XV. Seeger, .to .vary the points which slowdown is effected duringapproach of the elevator .car to its various landings.

As shown in Fig. .1, the rim .12 of spider 10 .is provided with .aradial recess 20 for receiving .a pin .21 fixed to an arm 22 and Saidarm .is provided with a hub 23 fixed to shaft 17. The spider 10 is thusfixed against rotation with respecttoshaft l7 and is axially adjustablewith respect to said shaft upon rotation of'bushing 1.4. Shaft 171'isrotatably mounted within bearings 24 and 25'provided in opposite walls.of an enclosing casing 26 and bushing 14 is arranged between bearing24and the hub .23 of arm 22 to prevent axial inofv'ement thereof. Shaft17 is driven through the medium of a worm wheel 27 and a worm 28, and asshown in Fig.2 worm wheel 27 is fixed .to shaft .17 and the hub thereofabuts the inner end of bearing 25 while the worm 28 is fixed to a shaft29. Shaft 29is rotatably mounted within a bearing 30 in casing 26 andthe same is supported adjacent'the worm 28by a bearing'31 provided inabracket Shaft 29 has collars 33 fixed thereto which are arranged onopposite sides of bearing 30 to prevent axial movement of said shaft andbracket 32 is fixed to casing 26 by bolts 34 and is provided with an oilreservoir 35 for receiving worm 28.

A spiral spring surrounds the hub 23 of arm 22 and the inner end of saidspring isprovided with a hookedportion which is located within recessin. said hub while the outer end of said spring is provided with ahoorred portion which engages a projecting lug .41 on bracket '32.'Spring 40 is placed under tension, and as is a ')parent from Fig. 1,the same is adapted to bias drum 1 in a clockwise direction to therebyprevent backlash between the worm wheel 27 and worm 28 upon reverseoperation of drive shaft 29. As shown in. Fig. 2, spring 40 ismountedwithin a recessed casing member 42and is held within the recess insaidcasing-member by projecting lugs 43 on arm 22. Casing 42'is rotatablymounted upon a bushing .44 carried by shaft 17 and arranged between thehubof worm wheel27 and the hub 23 of arm 22.

.Panel 3 is fixed .to projecting lugs on casing26 by bolts 47 andtheseveral contacts 2are arranged radially withrespect to drum 1 andeach is mounted upon a pair ofprojectingstuds 4S-48 fixed to panel 3.'Each of the stationary contacts 2 includes a bracket member 49 havingaspring pressed contacfi 50 mounted within an opcningtherein, and eachof the brackets 40 is secured to its associated studs 48 by screws 51.As shown in Fig. '1 each of the brackets 49 is provided with slottedopenings for receiving its securing screws 51 whereby said'brackets maybe adjusted to vary the angular positions of contacts 2 with respect todrum 1. Also as shown in Fig. 1 the contacts 2 may be arranged tocooperate with the outer surfaces of ring segments 4 and '5 as shown infull lines, or with the inner surfaces of said segments as illustratedby dotted lines.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In afloor selector device, the combination with a plurality of stationarycontacts and a rotatable drum having segments to cooperate with saidstationary contacts, each of said segments having an oblique end, of adrive shaft for saiddrum, and means for holding said drum againstrotation with respect to said shaft and for adjusting the same axiallywith respect thereto.

2. In a floor selector device, in combination, a plurality of stationarycontacts and a rotatable drum having contact segments cooperating with.said stationary contacts, said contact segments being shaped wherebyvariation of the axial position of said drum varies the angularpositions at which said segments are adapted to disengage saidstationary contacts.

'3. :In .a 'floor selector device, in combination, a plurality ofstationary contacts, a rotatable drum having contact segments to cooperate with said stationary contacts, said contact segment-s beingshaped whereby variation of the axial position of said drum varies theangular positions at which said segments are adapted to disengage saidstationary contacts and a drive shaft for said drum, said drum beingfixed against rotation with respect to said shaft and being adjustableaxially thereon.

4. In a floor selector device, in combination, a pair or" ring shapedcontact segments having oblique ends, said segments being arranged inopposed relation with the oblique ends thereof diverging with respect toeach other, a plurality of stationary contacts disposed in diil'erentangular positions with respect to said drum, said segments beingadjust-able axially to vary the angular positions at which the obliqueends thereof cooperate with said stationary contacts.

5. In a floor selector device, in combination, a rotatable drumincluding a pair of ring shaped contact segments each having an obliqueend, said segments being arranged in opposed relation with the obliqueends thereof diverging with respect to each other, of a plurality ofstationary contacts cooperating with said contact segments, said drumbeing adjustable axially to vary the positions at which the oblique endsof said segments are adapted to disengage said stationary contacts, andscrew means for effecting axial adjustment of said drum.

6. In a fioor selector device for electric elevators, the combinationwith a rotatable drum, a drive the efor including a driving worm and adriven worm gear, and spring means tending at all times to rotate saiddrum and said worm gear in a given direction with respect to said worm.

7. In a floor selector device for electric elevators, the combinationwith a plurality of stationary contacts, of a cooperating contact drumincluding a supporting member having ring shaped contact segmentsmounted thereon, each of which is provided with an oblique end, asupporting shaft for said drum, an operating connection between saiddrum and said shaft for holding said drum against-rotation with respectto said shaft and for permitting axial movement of said drum withrespect to said shaft, and means for adjusting the axial position ofsaid drum on said shat't including a bushing rotatably mounted upon saidshaft and threaded into an opening in the supporting member for saiddrum.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

RICHARD B. HUNTER.

